Sexual victimization, partner aggression and alcohol consumption.

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship sexual victimization (both childhood sexual victimization and adult sexual victimization), aggression and alcohol consumption. The data for this research is from the Gender, Alcohol and Culture: an International Study (GENACIS). A random sample of 2070 adults (53.8% males and 64.2% females), 18 years and above, drawn from two geo-political regions in Nigeria were interviewed. The interest here is to examine the prevalence of childhoodand adult- sexual victimization among males and females, who is reported as the perpetrators of victimization. Results obtained did not show any gender difference in prevalence of childhood sexual victimization or adult sexual victimization. It was also found that childhood sexual victimization was predictive of adult victimization. This paper further explores the relationship of sexual victimization with the experience of partner aggression as well as individual alcohol drinking pattern. There are indications of a link between childhood sexual victimization and subsequent partner aggression. There was however no relationship in regards to alcohol consumption patterns. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Key Words: Gender and alcohol, sexual victimization, partner aggression, GENACIS